The uses of MBTI in an engineering or project manager type of field can help determine what fields of engineering is most suitable for a person. MBTI has shown different work environments attract a certain type of engineer. MBTI has also shown when given to those specific people that those engineers that score high on Feeling and Perceiving are predisposed to leave consulting engineering earlier then those that scored high as a Thinker and Judger. Feeling and Perceiving personalities will join academia, public agencies, regulatory agencies, or research organizations. MBTI has shown individuals Feelings and Extraversion preferences in the engineering field within two years transfer to other fields outside engineering curricula (Culp & Smith, 2009). By being able to administer MBTI can cut down on high turn over rates in a work place. It cost time and money to run ads for employment, job training, and paperwork.
The purpose of choosing MBTI is individual’s are geared differently at perceiving information and how they use the information they receive (Chae et., al.,2003). With keeping this in mind it takes certain type of personalities to work in the field of engineering and/or being a project manager. Assessing this information gives a better understanding of the person from whom you will be or might be hiring.
Analyze Selected Assessment with Personality Theories
Carl Rogers was a significant America psychologist and one of the originators of the concern for people method to psychology. Rogers used a nondirective method of helping the individual. He did not ask questions, he just listened to what the individual had to say. He accepted the individual for who he or she was (Kirschenbaum, 2004). Even though MBTI is a questionnaire there is no administrator asking the questions. Only an administrator who scores the questionnaire; the individual is accepted no matter the final scoring of the questionnaire. Carl Rogers approach and the MBTI both help individual’s see who they are and possible areas of improvement.
Research Findings
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®) assessment is a science of psychological measurement questionnaire designed to measure preferences in how individuals perceive and make decisions. Myers and Briggs preferences were infer from Carl Gustav Jung’s typological theories published in his 1921 book called Psychological Types (The Meyers & Briggs Foundation, n.d.). Myers and Briggs started constructing the indicator during World War II. It was Myers and Briggs belief, knowledge of personality preferences would help woman entering the industrial workforce for the first time. This assessment would indicate what type of job(s) women would feel most comfortable and successful in. This questionnaire grew into what is now known as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. The MBTI concentrates on standard populations and accentuates the significance of naturally taking place distinctions (The Meyers & Briggs Foundation, n.d.). This assessment performs greatly since it can be taken by any individual from any background and come up with a career field more in tune with the individual’s personality style. It executes completely in terms of the personality assessment of target population. In regards to target population the MBTI it used frequently in areas of career counseling, team building, group dynamics, professional development, leadership training, engineering, and project management. As in project management, results clearly indicate that there is a set of leadership traits that, if the individual possesses there is greater probability for the project to be a success. Furthermore, MBTI has an instrument that can be used in selecting project leaders who naturally possess project leader traits (Gehring, 2007).
Psychometric Properties
Eighty-nine US Fortune 100 companies use the MBTI for recruitment so employees understand themselves and others. Organizations or companies have an obligation to select the best project manager for the job. MBTI can be used to assist project managers or individuals in other fields to better understand how their personality helps or hinders the project due to their personality traits. On an individual basis, this significant information can be used to build training programs to ensure a natural fit in a project leadership role (Gehring, 2007).
The study, according to Gehring (2007) has four distinctive parts to evaluate in the purpose of the traits theory of leadership to project management. First, established were the project leadership competencies standard. Second, modern project leadership publications validated the standard. Third, MBTI personality descriptions were used to decide which personality types sustained these competencies and validations. Fourth, validations for project leadership competencies of personality types were assessed with additional literature study and questionnaire.
Review of Literature
MBTI is a noteworthy instrument that can be used to measure the characteristics related to project leadership or engineering. By having individuals take the MBTI on their own free will gives an idea of the different in type and temperament involving the employee and their clients along with society that can generate communication challenges. The individual’s preferences are of value in the distinct blend of work and associated communications with clients and society. It is noted that that out of 740 professional employees in the engineering field most have a Type preference of Introversion over Extroversion, Intuition over Sensing, Thinking over Feeling, and Judging over Perceiving (Culp & Smith, 2009).
Ethical Considerations
Ethical administration of the MBTI sorts for type not the strength of ability so assume anything other would not be a fair assessment. The questionnaire allocates the clearness of a preferences to be established, not the power of the preference or extent of skill. It must be remembered that Type preferences are polar opposites; individuals favor one thing over another not a little bit of both. There are not right or wrong answers; no preferences or type is considered better or worst then another. It is unethical to coerce anyone into taking the MBTI questionnaire. To be unbiased and fair it should always be taken voluntarily. Confidentiality is a must and only between the individual and administrator and not allowed without consent from the individual. Part of ethics in using MBTI is it should never be used to eliminate someone from a job. It instead should be used as a component of battery test with the results only revealed to the individual. As tempting as it might be for the MBTI to be used as an instrument to reject certain personality types who did not fit a certain project or job, it would be harmful to the objective of the assessment and could ultimately be evaded (Gehring, 2007). As has been pointed out many times, individuals will not answer questions honestly if they think the answers could be used against them.
Conclusion
Perception entails in keeping aware of ideas, happenings, people, or things. Judgment entails coming to a conclusion about what has been perceived. On the foundation of the above discussion, it can be contingent Myers-Briggs Personality Type can play an important role in one’s own assessment of itself. MBTI assessment is a science of psychological questionnaire intended to calculate preferences in how individuals identify and make decisions. MBTI practical implications of personality assessment tool replicate its importance in the business and psychology world. MBTI can be applied to the general population or a specified population. MBTI intention is to help individuals and employers understand psychological types and personalities. Individual’s judgment and insight are what make us different. Individuals are each geared differently when it comes to receiving information and how they use the information they receive. MBTI can help the individual and employer understand how to communicate to each other. Accuracy of the MBTI depends solely on the honesty of self-reporting by the individual taking the test. Unlike other personality test the MBTI does not use legitimacy scales to assess embellished or generally desirable responses. Myers and Briggs state individuals use all four cognitive functions. In spite of this, one function is commonly more conscious and used in a confident way. It is just an important to remember this questionnaire’s information is only between the test taker and the administrator, in not way shape, form, or fashion should the information be made public without the consent of the test taker and the information should never be used against the individual or keep the individual from attaining a job. MBTI can help an individual understand self, achieve balance, personal growth, and create possibilities (The Meyers & Briggs Foundation, n.d.).
References
Chae, H., Lyoo, I., Lee, S., Cho, S., Bae, H., Hong, M., & Shin, M. (2003). An alternative way to individualized medicine: psychological and physical traits of Sasang typology. Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 9(4), 519-528. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Culp, G., & Smith, A. (2009). Consulting engineers: Myers-Briggs type and temperament preferences. Leadership & Management in Engineering, 9(2), 65-70. doi:10.1061/(ASCE)1532-6748(2009)9:2(65)
Gehring, D. R. (2007). Applying traits theory of leadership to project management. Project Management Journal, 38(1), 44-54. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Kirschenbaum, H. (2004). Carl Rogers's Life and Work: An Assessment on the 100th Anniversary of His Birth. Journal of Counseling & Development, 82(1), 116. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
The Meyers & Briggs Foundation. (n.d.). MBTI® Basics. Retrieved from http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/